


the way over one's head

by Silberias



Category: Jodhaa-Akbar (2008)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Assassination Attempt(s), F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jalal is a precious sensitive man, Jodhaa saves the day, Sujamal still doesn't make it I'm sorry, solving the problem with the 1 2 3 payoff with Jodhaa's sword fighting, sword fighting briefly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-23 19:43:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17689667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silberias/pseuds/Silberias
Summary: Jodhaa arrives just a little bit earlier and, having brought a sword this time around, fights off a more motivated assassin.





	the way over one's head

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AllegoriesInMediasRes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllegoriesInMediasRes/gifts).



> In my binge through the Jodhaa/Akbar tag on tumblr I saw a few notes about how there is no resolution to the Chekov-like set-up of Jodhaa's sword skills. Normally you set something up once, have a reminder, and have a 'finale' moment the third time. Sooo this happened. 
> 
> I tried to maintain Jodhaa's avoidance of referring to Jalal by his name, I hope that works and doesn't fall flat. 
> 
> And also--people have been very kind to me flailing around in the corner of the fandom, thank you all!

Jodhaa's legs ached from the ride, breakneck as it had been, but she pushed past the feeling and walked with purpose towards the royal tent--Bakshi and Mahesh Das trailed behind her by many paces, their hurry not as desperate as her own. Bakshi had given her something precious, the knowledge that Bhai-sa was in danger, but there was a vanishing amount of time to make use of the knowledge. A sword from her husband's rooms banged against her thigh as she walked, for Lord Todar Mal had been adamant that she go protected. _Your bravery will be for naught if you cannot defend yourself against some brigand, your majesty_.

Upon entering the tent, though, she was stopped short by what she saw. Sujamal was covered in blood, stretched out on the carpet, while Bhagwan Das held his hand and the Emperor knelt at his side. Her husband's bright eyes found hers and Jodhaa knew without him saying a thing. Bhai-sa was dying--Sharifuddin had succeeded, and her mission was for nothing.

"--posing as one of the royal guards," her brother struggled to say, gasping in a breath as he finished speaking. The Emperor's eyes slid from hers back to Sujamal, disbelief written on his face, but Jodhaa's attention was drawn to one of the royal guard. The man had crept forward three steps towards the tableaux where the menfolk of her family were gathered and Jodhaa drew her blade in a moment of paranoia that came not a second too soon--the guard cried out something in Persian and raised his blade at the Emperor's unprotected back.

Jodhaa's sword met that of the assassin and she fought him fiercely, channeling her grief into her sword arm. He was not as good a swordsman as Bhai-sa or the Emperor, but he was much bigger than her. She had only the advantage of surprise and made the most of it, driving the assassin backwards towards the--hopefully still loyal--remaining royal guards that had been frozen as one of their number seemed to lose his mind. Jodhaa screamed her rage at her opponent as she landed a hit on his arm that had him dropping his sword and he was knocked out by a blow to the back of the head delivered by Lord Chughtai Khan. The man oversaw the assassin being dragged out of the tent, growling orders to those who took the man away.

She stood for a long moment gulping in air, fighting for some semblance of control of herself for there were lords of her husband's court here and her husband's soldiers as well. How she acted reflected on more than herself.

"Jodhaa," the Emperor said just behind her and Jodhaa felt his warmth all at once down her back, "you are needed." Gently he opened her fingers from where they grasped his sword and the blade clattered to the ground. She let him guide her back to where Sujamal lay dying, and knelt at her brother's side, whispering his name and taking his hands.

Sujamal managed a smile for her, saying he forgave her, that he was proud of her, and then laid his hand on her head one last time before he breathed no more. Squeezing her eyes shut did not stop her tears, and no matter how much she tried she could not gulp back her sobs. What was dignity now that Bhai-sa was dead? For many minutes Jodhaa slumped next to his body, only aware of the cooling of his skin contrasting with the warmth of her husband's hand resting on the middle of her back. Eventually she realized that the tent was empty save members of her family. Father, Bhagwan Das, Bakshi, and the Emperor all remained, but otherwise all others had dispersed outside. Her body shook as she tried to catch her breath, everything that was already pained from the desperate ride hurting all the more. The Emperor guided her to rest back on one of his arms, sliding the other under her knees and standing up with her safely held to his chest.

"I will rest with her, please do not disturb us," he murmured, striding towards his sleeping quarters. Jodhaa curled her head against his shoulder and stared into nothing, only absorbing his steady heat and his even gait. When he set her down on the bed he paused a moment and leaned in to press his forehead against hers, taking no other liberties and retreating when she didn't move. Jodhaa missed his warmth when he left the bedside, her eyes sliding listlessly after him as he fetched a water basin and a wash cloth.

"What happened?" she managed to say, voice broken and thready, as her husband knelt in front of her to begin cleaning her brother's blood from her hands. _I killed him, surely he would have made peace with Father sooner if I had never written that letter_ , she thought as the Emperor considered his words before he answered. Jodhaa lowered her eyes and willed herself to be calm as he started to speak.

"Sujamal learned that Sharifuddin meant to assassinate me and made a desperate ride to warn us here. Sharifuddin's archers followed him and shot him many times, but he made it to our lines. They dared not come closer and returned to their own camp." The Emperor hesitated for long enough that , his green eyes meeting hers and reading her face for a long moment. Jodhaa felt a sob shiver through her chest but she made no sound.

"The Prince made his peace with King Bharmal and with your brother, though it may not leave much peace for the conscience of either of them. I told him of your innocence in...the matter of the letter. He wept with relief and remorse, and instructed me to look after you now that he could not. You know the rest," he said, speaking the words slowly as he carefully finished washing each of her fingers one after another. Jodhaa was glad of his care, but she could find nothing more to say and let herself drift. She had never thought Sujamal Bhai-sa would precede her in death--he was supposed to grow old and fat, like Father.

Once her hands were clean, cold from the water and her shock, she let him urge her back on the bed. The Emperor lay down next to her and held her tightly, his cheek pressed against her forehead as they breathed quietly together.

"At midday tomorrow there is a duel between myself and Sharifuddin," he whispered, "if I do not prevail do not let him capture you. Escape this place, and live until you're eighty. If--if there is a child, name it for one of the saints. I ask nothing else of you."

"Then you must prevail, for a husband must ask much more from his wife than that." It was said almost by rote, she would barely remember saying it in the days to come but the Emperor pressed a kiss to her temple and said nothing to refute her words. She took comfort in his silent confidence and let herself drift off to sleep. Thankfully Lord Krishna let her rest be filled with memories of childhood games with her brother, and not with clanging swords or the scent of blood.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you thought!! I love hearing from anyone who leaves comments <3


End file.
